Army stuffs Navy, 17-10, for third straight win in series

A look at some pregame scenes at the 119th Army Navy Football Game in Philadelphia, PA.

PHILADEPHIA — Considering how badly it was outplayed for most of the game, it was nothing short of a miracle that Navy only trailed Army by three points just past the midway mark of the fourth quarter.

When inside linebacker Hudson Sullivan dropped quarterback Kelvin Hopkins for a 5-yard loss on third down to force a punt, it appeared the Midshipmen just might make an improbable comeback.

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However, with the outcome still hanging in the balance, the Army defense rose up and stuffed the Navy offense just like it had for most of the game.

Cornerback Elijah Riley made a huge hit to knock the ball away from backup quarterback Garret Lewis on third down then rush end Kenneth Brinson stripped starting quarterback Zach Abey of the ball on fourth down as the Black Knights prevented the Midshipmen from mounting a drive that could have produced the tying or go-ahead points.

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Nose tackle Wunmi Oyetuga, inside linebacker James Nachtigal and free safety Jaylon McClinton spearheaded a dominant defensive effort that led Army to a 17-10 victory over Navy before a sellout crowd of 66,729 at Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday. Hopkins rushed for 64 yards and two touchdowns for the Black Knights, who beat the Midshipmen for the third straight season.

“Obviously, this was a tough loss. It’s an emotional locker room right now with the seniors. We wanted to win on the football field for them,” Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo said. “These seniors have been great leaders and I know they’ll do great things serving our country.”

Fullback Darnell Woolfolk and slotback Kell Walker contributed 62 and 56 rushing yards for Army (10-2), which repeated as Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy champions for the first time in program history.

“It was an incredible football game. I’m really proud of our team and just the fight and the spirit in these guys,” Army head coach Jeff Monken said. “We felt like it was going to be a game like this. This is the fifth one that I have been part of here at Army and all five have been won by a touchdown or less.”

Army did not need to do much offensively because Navy (3-10) was so ineffective on that side of the ball. Abey lost the fumble on the critical possession late in the game and also tossed two interceptions as the Midshipmen just could not consistently move the ball in finishing with 208 total yards and four turnovers.

“I wasn’t on target today throwing. That is something you always need to have going into the Army-Navy game – the pass option,” Abey said. “They play tough and bring pressure inside so you have to loosen them up. I wasn’t on target today.”

It would have been much worse if not for some big chunk plays in the fourth quarter. The Midshipmen had been limited to just five first downs and 64 total yards through three periods. Niumatalolo was asked if it was because of Army’s defense or Navy’s lack of execution.

“It was both. Their defense played well and we didn’t execute well. We’ve got to make some blocks, make some plays,” he said. “We had some opportunities to make some plays and we didn’t. When that happens it’s hard to move the ball. We always stress taking care of the football and it’s hard to win when you have that many turnovers.”

McClinton notched a team-high nine tackles to go along with an interception while Nachtigal recorded eight tackles as Army pressed the line of scrimmage and made it difficult for Navy to run between the tackles. Oyetuga held the point of attack and also contributed eight stops for the Black Knights, who also did a superb job of stringing out perimeter plays and preventing the Mids from turning the corner.

“It is frustrating just because you know you’re giving it all, they’re giving it all and you just wish maybe that one play I got another extra step, an extra yard. Maybe if I’d had a better block on this guy it would have made a difference,” Navy fullback Anthony Gargiulo said. “But it is a football game. It happens. Sadly, so does the frustration of losing.”

Navy’s offensive futility spoiled a determined effort by its defense, which held Army to a touchdown and field goal to keep the game within reach. Inside linebacker Taylor Heflin recorded 14 tackles while safety Juan Hailey notched 13 as the Mids made stop after stop.

“Our defense played great and kept us in the game. Those guys played their butts off,” Navy offensive coordinator Ivin Jasper said. “Offensively, we didn’t do our part. Defense kept getting us the ball back and we weren’t able to do anything with it.”

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Army only needed five plays and 2:26 to march 82 yards for a touchdown on the game’s opening possession. Hopkins completed a 17-yard pass to wide receiver Glen Coates on third-and-six to keep the drive alive and slotback Kell Walker broke loose for 51 yards on the next play.

Walker’s career-long run set up first-and-10 from the 10-yard line and Hopkins took it from there, taking a keeper around the left end and finding no defender between himself and the end zone to give the Black Knights the early 7-0 lead.

Navy’s defense spent the rest of the half dodging bullets while its offense did nothing. Hopkins overthrew a wide-open receiver that would have waltzed into the end zone and Army had to settle for a 33-yard field goal attempt, which John Abercrombie missed wide right.

Davidson burst through a big hole up the middle for 22 yards to get the Black Knights deep into enemy territory again, but safety Sean Williams broke up a pass on fourth-and-nine to end that threat.

Navy’s longest gain from scrimmage during the first half was a 6-yard run by Gargiulo and two of its four first downs came as the result of penalties on Army.

Navy got the ball to start the second half and speedster Malcolm Perry gave his team great field position with a 33-yard return. The Midshipmen started at the 42-yard line, but could not pick up a single first down and were forced to punt for the fourth time in the game.

Army proceeded to take 8 minutes, 19 seconds off the clock with a methodical 14-play drive that produced a 33-yard field goal by Abercrombie. That red zone stop would normally be a victory for the defense, but the amount of time the Black Knights chewed up was more important in this instance.

Considering Navy’s offensive struggles, Army’s 10-0 lead almost seemed insurmountable with 4:33 remaining in the third quarter.

Navy had a decent drive going on its second possession of the second half, but both slotbacks went in motion at the same time and that 5-yard penalty was a killer. It put the Mids into a second-and-13 situation and prompted Jasper to call a pass play. Abey badly overthrew the intended receiver and wound up with his second interception of the game.

A replay review overturned an Army fourth down conversion that would have probably put the game away, giving Navy some life. Lewis replaced Abey at quarterback and his short screen pass to slotback Keoni-Kordell Makekau at long last put the Mids in scoring position.

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Makekau caught the pass in the flat and accelerated past several flat-footed defenders for a 34-yard gain that brought the ball to the Army 26-yard line. Perry tucked the ball and ran on what appeared to be a slotback option pass play and gained six yards, moving the Mids into the red zone for the first time in the game.

Lewis then converted on fourth-and-inches and it looked like Navy might score a touchdown to get within a field goal. However, Lewis held the ball two loosely in his right arm while picking up 12 yards on an option keeper and had it dislodged by a hit from McClinton. Safety James Gibson recovered the fumble to thwart the Midshipmen.

Army went three-and-out on its next possession and had to punt from its own end zone. Navy took over at the home team’s 43-yard line and Perry immediately broke loose for a 43-yard gain that put the Mids right back into scoring position.

Set up with first-and-goal from the 5-yard line, Navy was able to punch it in this time with Lewis diving over from a yard away. Kicker Bennett Moehring booted the extra point and suddenly it was 10-7 with 7:10 left in the game.

Navy made another quick defensive stop to get the ball back with just under five minutes remaining, but that is when things went awry. Jasper called for another trick play that had wide receiver Mychal Cooper throwing a pass to Lewis.

Cooper hesitated a second too long and Lewis was not as wide open as he had been by the time the ball arrived. Riley drilled the quarterback just as he caught the ball, knocking it loose and preventing the Mids from picking up a first down.

Brinson’s strip sack and fumble recovery deep in Navy territory led to a 1-yard touchdown dive by Hopkins that gave Army a 10-point lead with 1:28 left. Moehring made a 46-yard field goal with 29 seconds remaining, keeping the Midshipmen’s faint hopes alive.

However, Moehring’s onside kick attempt was covered securely by slotback Jordan Asberry to seal the result.

“I’m proud of the way our guys fought. I thought we bounced back and had a chance there at the end,” Niumatalolo said. “We just battled it. It’s not like we did anything differently or they did anything differently. We just started to execute a little bit better down the stretch.”